Sunday Reading

Susie by Ray Rhodes Jr.

May 31, 2020 by Lynn Leave a Comment

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This week for Sunday Reading, I choose the book Susie by Ray Rhodes Jr. I shared a short review back in 2018 on Susie, but because of current events, I thought it was time for a more in depth review.

Susannah Spurgeon was a great example of living for Christ in the midst of trials.

Many Christians know the name of Charles H. Spurgeon, the preacher and writer, who lived in England during the 1800’s.

There have been a lot of books written on the life and works of C.H. Spurgeon, but very little has been written about Susannah Spurgeon, his wife. Few people are familiar with her besides what is written in books about her famous husband.

Susannah Spurgeon was a woman of God who not only supported her husband, but she had a tremendous ministry of her own.

Even though she deal with serious health issues, she ran a book fund for poor pastors. Susannah Spurgeon’s book fund provided many pastors access to books that they would never have had if it were not for her.

On top of her book ministry, she also helped support her husband in many ways including editing his sermons and other writings.

She authored books, opened her to home to others, helped plant a church, and did so many things to support the work of Christ.

But Susannah Spurgeon did not live in easy life. Her life was filled with difficulties and health issues. She struggled with the realities of the world we live. She had her issues and problems just like everyone else.

Years ago I read the book Mrs. C. H. Spurgeon by Charles Ray. It was a good book that I enjoyed, but it was short and didn’t have a lot of detail. For years though, it was one of the few books that covered the life of Susannah Spurgeon.

When I first heard about the book Susie, I knew that I wanted to read it. I love biographies, especially Christian biographies, and I wanted to know more about Susannah Spurgeon.

Susie by Ray Rhodes Jr. does a great job of covering the life of Susanah Spurgeon not just as the wife of someone famous but as an individual herself.

There is so much to learn from the life of Susannah Spurgeon, including how to serve Christ by serving others even in the midst of pain and suffering

Susie is now on my list of favorite Christian biographies. I have recommended this book so many times.

Have you read it?

A Grief Observed ( Sunday Reading )

May 24, 2020 by Lynn 2 Comments

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I, Grace, recently read A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis and I found it be a fascinating read. Probably C.S. Lewis’s most thought provoking book that I have read.

Since we are living through some tough current events that have changed how we live our lives, we thought it would be a great book to feature for this week’s Sunday Reading.

C.S. Lewis wrote A Grief Observed after his wife’s death. This book came about because of what he lived and experienced. He wrote it through pain and suffering.

If you have gone through a tough time or are currently going through a difficult time, then you will understand some of C.S. Lewis’s thoughts.

It helped me see that others have dealt with some of the similar thoughts and made it through it.

He works through the different stages that we cope with during out time of pain and struggles. It also allows for us to see that we all deal with similar issues.

Often we see our own pain and way of going through it as unique and only felt by us, this is not true. Sure everyone is slightly different, different circumstances, different problems, different thoughts, ways to go through it. It is still similar though.

Reading about someone dealing with loss is helpful. Especially if your the midst of it or have just come out of it.

Pick it up. It will help you even if it is you just slowly reading through the chapters. A Grief Observed, might not be your normal read, but I think that you will profit from it.

Chronological Bible ( Sunday Reading )

April 12, 2020 by Lynn 4 Comments

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Today for Sunday Reading I am changing it up a little bit and am featuring a Bible instead of a book.

Yes, I know the Bible is a book, but it is not the normal type of book that we feature. The Bible version we are featuring today is actually not your normal type of Bible.

Just like we love reading books at our house, we also love reading the Bible. We have quite a few different versions and types of Bibles at our house. I thought it might be interesting if we occasionally feature some of them.

I am starting with the Bible that I am currently reading for my daily devotions. It is a Chronological Study Bible, and I love it!

I heard about the Chronological Bible reading plan years ago. I have known several people that read through the Bible that way, but it wasn’t until I found the Chronological Bible that I decided read the Bible through chronologically.

I want to first say that I don’t read through the Bible in a year. I know a lot of people do that. And I know a lot of people that think it is important to read through your Bible every year. I am not one of those people.

Don’t misunderstand me though. I am not saying that you shouldn’t read your Bible. Reading your Bible is important. But I think too many people focus on reading it in one year. I have read through the Bible several times, but I have never accomplished it in one year. It usually take me two to three years.

When I focus on reading a certain amount, I tend to focus on the amount and not on what I am reading.

For my daily Bible reading, I tend to read just one or two chapters at a time. I really don’t focus on the number of chapters. I like to focus on what I am reading in those chapters.

Last year, I decided to read through the Bible using the Chronological Study Bible. I choose this Chronological Bible because I liked the how it was set up.

I also like the fact that it wasn’t a one year Bible like many of the Chronological Bibles. It was just the Bible in Chronological order.

Here is what I love about this Bible.

I love reading about a specific event and then reading the Psalm or Proverbs that follows it.

You read about David escaping Jerusalem and then you can instantly read the Psalm he wrote during that time. You don’t have to search to find it. It is right there in chronological order.

You can read about Solomon and then read the Proverbs he wrote during that time.

History makes more sense in order. When you read it in the order it happened, it is easier to remember who is who and when they lived.

I love the notes about other historical events at that time. I also enjoy the notes on certain customs and explanations of certain words.

There is some debate on the order the books of the Bible where written or when they happened. When I showed this Bible to a family member, they instantly disagreed with a couple of spots on the timeline.

That doesn’t bother me. I know that there is debate on that, and no one plan will be perfect.

The Chronological Study Bible is not a Bible that you would carry to church or use for everything. But it does make a great daily reading Bible if you are wanting to change up your current Bible reading.

It is also a great Bible to read if you want to learn more about the Bible and how it relates to history.

Have you ever read the Bible Chronologically?

Choosing Gratitude by Nancy Leigh DeMoss (Sunday Reading)

March 15, 2020 by Lynn Leave a Comment

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This week’s Sunday Reading is about joy and gratitude. I read Choosing Gratitude by Nancy Leigh DeMoss a few years ago and really enjoyed it.

I had a totally different book planned for this week’s Sunday Reading, but since the book was on hospitality, it just didn’t seem right for the current times. So I am waiting to talk about hospitality for a while and instead discussing gratitude and joy.

We can’t choose our circumstances, but we can choose how we react to them.

Right now we are all dealing with plans that have been changed. School that have been canceled. Trips that have been postponed. Birthday celebrations that have been put on hold. And other important events that also have to be canceled or delayed.

In some way or another, all of use have been affected by the current situation, and there is not a lot we can do about it.

What we can do though is to choose gratitude. Even in the midst of trials and changed plans, we can choose to be happy.

Choosing Gratitude by Nancy Leigh DeMoss is a great reminder that we can choose joy in the midst of even the worst circumstances. It is easy to get caught up in all the negativity. But instead we should try to step back and focus on all that we do have to be thankful for.

There is always a time to grieve and to mourn what we have been through or what we have lost, but in the end, we need to focus on the positive not the negative.

The Christian life should be joyful.

Choosing to be joyful in difficult times is not easy. It is hard. We have to make a conscience choice to be cheerful. Nancy Leigh DeMoss helps remind us to be appreciative and bright even during the challenging times.

When we thank God and others, bitterness and entitlement are replaced with joy and the humility.

To not be joyful and to choose to not be grateful is costly. It drains the joy out of life and tends to make us bitter and proud. But when we do choose joy and gratitude, we are more mindful of the things around us and the gifts we have received from God.

In the midst of the current situation, let’s try to find the good. Be thankful for what we do have. Give thanks for those that are working hard to serve us and others.

Right now life is challenging for a lot of people.

Small businesses are suffering. Grocery store workers are working long hours serving customers that are not always the happiest. Those in the medical field are working hard to care for the sick and to prepare for the what may come in the weeks ahead. And there are so many other examples.

Instead of focusing on the bad and fear, let’s focus on the good.

Be thankful for those grocery store workers stocking the shelves.

Give thanks for those in the medical field working extra long hours serving others.

Support small business if you can.

Enjoy a slower pace schedule.

Spend time with your kids.

Read those books sitting in your TBR pile.

Tackle that cleaning project that you have been meaning to do.

Find ways to serve, give, and catch up if you can.

If you need help finding joy in the midst of the current life situations, Choosing Gratitude by Nancy Leigh DeMoss might be just the book you need right now!

Kiss the Wave by Dave Furman ( Sunday Reading )

March 8, 2020 by Lynn Leave a Comment

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I debated on whether or not to share this book for Sunday Reading, but when I was deciding what book to feature this week I kept coming back to the book Kiss the Wave by Dave Furman.

This book has been a huge encouragement to me, and I kept thinking that there is someone else out there who needs the encouragement that this book offers.

The sovereignty of God can be a controversial topic, both in and outside, the Christian and church world. The reality that God is in control is a concept that many people don’t like. For me, it is a great comfort to know that God is writing my story, not me.

Life is full of trials. There is no getting away from the trials of life. We live in a sin filled world.

Tragedies happen. People fail us. Life is full of sickness and disease. Friends and family die. No matter how hard you try, you cannot escape the difficulties of life. It is the reality of the world that we live in.

It is often easy to look at our own life and think that we have it so bad. We often feel that our life is worse than those around us.

The reality though is that everyone has trials and difficulties. None of us are immune from it. The timing and circumstances may vary, but we all suffer at one time or another.

Often it is not the circumstance that wears us down, it is how we handle it. My husband has a sign hanging in his office that says “It is not the load that weighs you down it is how you carry it.” There is so much truth in that saying.

Are you carrying a heavy load right now? How are you carrying it? If you are anything like me, the trials of life can be difficult to carry. They weigh us down.

How can we handle the difficulties of life better?

You start by learning to embrace them. You realize that God is in control. That he has a plan and purpose for whatever difficulty you are going through.

Over the last few years, our family has dealt with quite a few medical issues. At times it has been overwhelming and discouraging.

It was during one of the overwhelming times that I saw a review for the book Kiss the Wave by Dave Furman.

The title caught my attention right away: Kiss the Wave: Embracing God In Your Trials. I knew that it was a book that I needed to read because I was struggling to embrace our family’s health issues that have at times seemed overwhelming.

The phrase “kiss the wave” is said to be a quote from Charles Spurgeon. If you are not familiar with Charles Spurgeon, he was a nineteenth century British preacher.

That saying is all about embracing our trials. Instead of fighting the wave, you embrace it. And in the process of embracing it, you realize that God works all things for our good and His glory.

Is that easy? No. Not at all. In the midst of trials it is incredibly difficult to remember that God has a plan and a purpose that we cannot see. It is hard to face our trials with a good attitude.

That is why I loved the book Kiss the Wave by Dave Furman. It helps show you how to embrace these trials with grace, while giving God the glory for them. It is a reminder that God is in control and that He sees the bigger picture. He has a plan and a purpose that we can’t see.

One of the things that I loved about this book was that throughout the book the author shares his story of suffering with a debilitating nerve condition in both of his arms.

He shares his experiences and how God has given him the strength to face each day with debilitating pain.

This book is written by someone who understands chronic pain and illness. The author knows what it is like to have the life you planned out totally changed by God.

He shares he struggles with discouragement and pain, but he also shows how God has used it in his life for his good. The author reminds us to kiss the wave and to give God the glory while embracing the trials of life.

I enjoyed this book so much that I have now given it to quite a few people that have gone through difficult times with the hope that it encourages them.

If you are currently going through a rough time, or known someone that is, I hope that this book, Kiss the Wave, will be an encouragement to you.

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